Put the peach pieces in a dish. On top of that layer a generous scoop of vanilla yogurt, raspberries and toasted almonds. Top with a small scoop of raspberry sorbet.

* to peel peaches easily, score an x on the bottom of the peach and put into a deep narrow bowl (a 4-cup Pyrex measuring cup works great). Pour boiling water over the peach to cover and allow to sit for about 1 minute. The skin will then peel off easily.

I’m having fun. Come on along!

Kathy Bottger Mansion of Old Town Bed & Breakfast Old Town Albuquerque

New Mexico Pasta Arrabiata recipe--Jan. 4th is National Spaghetti Day!tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d8341c5da453ef01a3fbaac566970b2014-01-04T15:27:58-07:002015-03-03T15:41:35-07:00One of our food vendors, Ben E. Keith, gave us a 2014 calendar with all the national food days on it. Happy National Spaghetti Day! Here's my favorite recipe for New Mexico Pasta Arrabiata. I generally use spaghetti, but it...innkeeper

One of our food vendors, Ben E. Keith, gave us a 2014 calendar with all the national food days on it. Happy National Spaghetti Day!

Here's my favorite recipe for New Mexico Pasta Arrabiata. I generally use spaghetti, but it works with any pasta. Click here for a printer-friendly pdf version.

Heat olive oil in skillet over moderate heat and saute garlic and pine nuts until the nuts are lightly golden. Add the tomatoes, parsley, chipotle chile, salt and pepper to taste. Simmer on medium-low heat 15-20 minutes or until tomatoes are soft and liquid has reduced.

Meanwhile, cook spaghetti in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Drain well. Put pasta into shallow pasta bowls. Top with sauce and sprinkle with provolone cheese and Parmesan if desired.

* Tip for chipotle chili in adobo sauce: this can be found in the Mexican food section of the grocery store, generally in 6-oz. cans. Since I don’t use very much at one time and don’t want to waste this great chili, I put the chilies with all of the adobo sauce in a food mill to remove seeds and skin. Put into an ice cube tray using a tablespoon measure and freeze. Remove from ice cube tray and store in a freezer bag. Note that it will stain your ice cube tray red! If you don’t have a food mill, you can use the back of a spoon and a fine strainer to separate out the seeds and skin.

I’m having fun--come on along!

Kathy

Cornbread-chorizo dressingtag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d8341c5da453ef019b02c254b6970d2013-12-12T17:17:36-07:002014-02-06T23:41:53-07:00Dressing isn't just for Thanksgiving! I've made this cornbread-chorizo dressing, from the November 2013 issue of New Mexico Magazine, several times. The first was for Thanksgiving--it was a hit! I made another batch of it, and we're thinking about the...innkeeper

Dressing isn't just for Thanksgiving! I've made this cornbread-chorizo dressing, from the November 2013 issue of New Mexico Magazine, several times. The first was for Thanksgiving--it was a hit! I made another batch of it, and we're thinking about the possibilities for this savory and somewhat spicy dish. How about some poached or scrambled eggs on top with maybe a little red sauce and some melted cheddar-jack cheese, or maybe some crumbled Cotija cheese? Or put the dressing in a dish, make some indentations in it, break eggs into it and do baked eggs in the oven.

If you don't have access to good chorizo (sausage made with red chile), try it with some hot Italian bulk sausage.

Anyway, I said I would share, so here it is. Click here for a printer-friendly pdf version.

Cornbread-Chorizo Dressing

From New Mexico magazine, November 2013Makes a lot! (My note—I made half a recipe and it still made about 2 quarts of dressing)

Heat oven to 375. Place French bread pieces on baking sheet and toast in oven about 10 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp. Set aside to cool, then dump into a very large bowl.

Butter a 9 x 13 baking dish several inches deep. Over medium heat, sauté chorizo in large skillet, breaking into small bits with a spatula as you cook, until well browned. Drain off and discard excess fat. Add butter to chorizo in same skillet and melt over medium heat. Stir in onions and celery and sauté until very soft, about 7 minutes. Add sage, thyme, salt and pepper and scrape into bowl of toasted bread pieces. Add cornbread crumbles. Pour in stock a cup at a time and mix together until bread is very moist but not soupy. You will probably use 2 to 3 cups of stock. Cover and refrigerate dressing until you are ready to proceed with it. (Up to this point, dressing can be made a day ahead.)

Taste and adjust seasoning if you wish, or add a bit more stock if mixture seems dry. Whisk eggs and baking powder together and mix into dressing. Spoon dressing into baking dish, leaving it somewhat uneven on top, so that it will get extra-crunchy in some spots. Cover, place in oven and bake 25 minutes. Uncover and continue baking about 20 additional minutes, until lightly browned and crusty on top.

I’m having fun--come on along!

Kathy

essential kitchen tools for making fruitcaketag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d8341c5da453ef017ee553a709970d2012-11-24T15:55:46-07:002012-11-24T15:55:46-07:00It's fruitcake-making time again! I've finally learned to put it on the calendar for mid-November so the fruitcake has plenty of time to soak and mellow. Otherwise, it's an oblong doorstop. There's nothing better than a great fruitcake and nothing...innkeeper

It's fruitcake-making time again! I've finally learned to put it on the calendar for mid-November so the fruitcake has plenty of time to soak and mellow. Otherwise, it's an oblong doorstop. There's nothing better than a great fruitcake and nothing worse than a bad one.

As I was making the fruitcake this year (click here for recipe), I realized that operating a bed & breakfast has changed the way we cook and the tools we use. There are some tools that are essential and which we would never be without again.

First, a kitchen scale is so useful that once you start using one, you'll wonder how you did without it. It keeps everything consistent, so we weigh our flour, sugar, brown sugar, butter, etc. It may not seem like it would make that much difference, but if you're using 5 cups of flour, your cookies could vary a lot between one batch and the next if you just "eyeball" it in a measuring cup. We have a Salter electronic kitchen scale. My memory is not that good, so I have a cheatsheet taped inside my kitchen cabinet that says a cup of flour is 5 ounces, a cup of sugar is 7 ounces, etc.

We also use commercial half-sheet pans, also known as jelly-roll pans" that have sides about an inch high. Forget all the fancy cookie sheets with or without Teflon. You can buy expensive ones, of course, but you can also go to a commercial restaurant supply store and they will be much less expensive. Don't worry about the coating, because to go with these, we use parchment paper sheets, which we also buy from a supplier, and you can get them in a size to exactly fit the half-sheet pan. I never spray a baking sheet any more, just put a parchment paper sheet in it. Your cookies will not stick, and if they are a little heavy on the butter, the parchment will absorb some of it. Put parchment paper on the half-sheet pan under your pie or casserole and you will have no more spills in the bottom of the oven. You can also cut the sheets to fit loaf pans (fruitcake!), cake pans or whatever. Clean up is easy and the parchment paper peels right off.

A very large mixing bowl is essential for mixing a large batch of fruitcake batter, the fruit and nuts. Again, you can get large aluminum bowls in many sizes at a restaurant supply house. And you'll need a box of latex or nitrile gloves within easy reach in the kitchen. The best way I've found to really mix the fruitcake batter is to put on gloves, dump everything into that very large bowl, and mix it thoroughly with my fingers. It is amazingly faster and better than fighting with a wooden spoon or spatula, since fruitcake dough is very dense and sticky.

Finally, the best way to test the doneness of anything, especially cakes, muffins, chicken, etc., is to use an instant-read thermometer. No more undercooked chicken or over-done pork roast, and no baked goods that are still doughy in the center!

Peach and goat cheese saladtag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d8341c5da453ef017c31e3865e970b2012-09-19T22:21:56-06:002012-09-19T22:21:56-06:00I was looking for a way to use some splendid "O Henry" variety of peaches and came up with this fresh and tangy salad. Click here for a printer-friendly pdf version. Peach and Goat Cheese Salad Bottger Mansion of Old...innkeeper

I was looking for a way to use some splendid "O Henry" variety of peaches and came up with this fresh and tangy salad. Click here for a printer-friendly pdf version.

Peach and Goat
Cheese Salad

Bottger Mansion of Old Town Bed & BreakfastAlbuquerque, New MexicoServes 2

Mix the balsamic vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper to
taste; pour over salad greens and toss.
Drain off and save the excess dressing.
Place greens on two salad plates. Top with sliced peaches and crumbled
goat cheese; drizzle with reserved dressing.

* To peel
peaches easily, bring enough water to cover peaches to a boil. Remove from heat. Make a small slit in the
bottom of each peach and drop into hot water; leave in for 1 minute. Remove from hot water and plunge into cold
water for 1 minute. Starting from the
slit on the bottom, remove the peach skins.

** The
easiest and least messy way to crumble goat cheese is to leave it in the
package and hold it with one hand. At
the open end, rake it with a fork.

Chipotle Chicken Tacos with Avocado-Jicama Relishtag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d8341c5da453ef0163032fc8a1970d2012-04-07T05:19:37-06:002012-04-07T05:19:37-06:00I adapted this recipe from one I found in the newspaper. It originally called for cucumber and radishes in the relish, but I can't eat either of those. Click here for a printer-friendly pdf version. Chipotle Chicken Tacos with Avocado-Jicama...innkeeper

I adapted this recipe from one I found in the newspaper. It originally called for cucumber and radishes in the relish, but I can't eat either of those. Click here for a printer-friendly pdf version.

Chipotle Chicken Tacos with Avocado-Jicama Relish

From the Bottger Mansion of Old Town Bed & BreakfastAlbuquerque, New MexicoAdapted from avocadocentral.comServes 4

Relish: in a large mixing bowl, combine the avocado, jicama, onion, and cilantro. Add red wine vinegar and slowly drizzle in the oil until well combined. Add salt to taste. Cover, pressing plastic wrap firmly on the surface of the relish and refrigerate until use.

Tacos: Heat a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the oil and onion to the pan; cook for 2 minutes, stirring often. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, then stir in the chipotle puree and tomatoes. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until most of the liquid from the tomatoes has evaporated and the mixture begins to thicken. Add the green onions and chicken and mix well; cook until the chicken is heated through. Season with salt and pepper to taste and remove from heat.

In a separate small frying pan on medium-high heat, heat tortillas for about 15 seconds on each side. (They should be just barely crispy but not stiff.)

Spoon one-eighth of the chicken mixture into each tortilla and top with avocado relish.

Pork Tenderloin with Chipotle-Marmalade Saucetag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d8341c5da453ef0168e6733cfd970c2012-02-01T02:59:00-07:002012-01-31T18:03:03-07:00Our friend Joyce at the Chambered Nautilus in Seattle was telling us how much she loves pork tenderloin, so I was going to point her to the recipe on our blog. I haven't posted that one yet--so here it is....innkeeper

* Tip for chipotle chili in adobo sauce: this can be found in the Mexican food section of the grocery store, generally in 6-oz. cans. Since I don’t use very much at one time and don’t want to waste this great chili, I put the chilies with all of the adobo sauce in a food mill to remove seeds and skin. Put into an ice cube tray using a tablespoon measure and freeze. Remove from ice cube tray and store in a freezer bag. Note that it will stain your ice cube tray red!

Chile-Lime Turkey Pattiestag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d8341c5da453ef015393dbe186970b2011-12-01T14:53:32-07:002011-12-01T14:53:32-07:00Looking for ways to use up that leftover turkey? Now is the time--either use it or cut it up, package it and put it in the freezer. This recipe was in the November 2011 issue of Better Homes and Gardens...innkeeper

In a food processor, process turkey until just ground; transfer to a bowl. Process parsley, celery and onion until finely chopped; add to bowl. Add half the panko, the mayonnaise, egg, lime juice, chile paste, and Worcestershire sauce. Form eight 3-inch patties; coat with remaining panko.

In a 12-inch skillet heat 1 tablespoon of butter over medium heat. Cook patties, half at a time, 5 minutes on each side until nicely browned. Repeat with remaining patties. Serve with Lime Butter Sauce and lime wedges, if desired.

cool summer drinkstag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d8341c5da453ef015432e88b17970c2011-06-15T21:49:59-06:002011-06-15T21:49:59-06:00In summer, I like something to drink that's cold and refreshing, but I don't want added caffeine and excessive calories. By accident, I discovered how to make "cranberry soda" and "blueberry soda," both delicious. Cranberry soda: Fill a large glass...innkeeper

In summer, I like something to drink that's cold and refreshing, but I don't want added caffeine and excessive calories. By accident, I discovered how to make "cranberry soda" and "blueberry soda," both delicious.

Cranberry soda: Fill a large glass one-third full of ice. Add cranberry juice (see other options below) to fill the glass halfway. Fill the rest of the glass with sparkling water. Ta-da--"cranberry soda."

Blueberry lemonade or soda: Use a ratio of one part blueberry syrup to five parts lemonade or sparkling water.

It seems simple, right? Think of all those lovely flavorings available for Italian sodas and coffee drinks. I tried it with orange juice, but it was a bit tart, so next time I'll try orange syrup. I also plan to try it with grape juice, mango nectar and maybe apple juice.

suggested garnishes: small frozen fruits--blueberries, strawberries, grapes, blackberries, raspberries--lemon or orange slices, mint sprigs. Use your imagination and have some fun with it.

A note on the sparkling water: Sparkling water is available in the soda section of the grocery store, and I found it to be the best. It offers a little zip without adding any flavor on its own. Club soda is also good but contains some salt, so it adds a slightly bitter flavor. Tonic water contains quinine and definitely has a bitter flavor that I didn't like at all. Maybe it's okay for a gin and tonic (I don't drink that), but not in my soda.

Bacon, lettuce and tomato salad recipetag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d8341c5da453ef014e888af9e3970d2011-05-19T23:07:02-06:002011-05-19T23:07:18-06:00Bacon--it's not just for breakfast! While we serve breakfast to our guests at the Bottger Mansion of Old Town, we also eat two other meals every day. This is one of my new favorites, especially in the warmer months when...innkeeper

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, mix bread cubes, salt and pepper, spraying with cooking spray and tossing until lightly coated. Bake until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool.

Cook bacon in large skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 8 minutes. (Tip: draining the bacon fat as it cooks will allow the bacon to get crisp easier.) Transfer to paper towel-lined plate. Discard drippings.

Whisk mayonnaise and vinegar in large bowl. Add bacon, tomatoes, salad greens, avocado and croutons and toss to combine. Season with additional salt and pepper as desired. Serve.

(Tip: if you won’t use all the salad at one time, keep half of the components aside and separate. Otherwise, the croutons will get soggy if you mix it all together and have it leftover later.)